Canton, Ohio

This is a street in downtown Canton, Ohio. It's a relatively sleepy downtown, especially on this week night. Most of the shopping and dining in town is found on the outer edge in big box shopping centers and an enclosed mall. There is a monthly First Fridays event in the downtown Canton Arts District that I am told attracts a large crowd.  I don't know enough about this town to know whether the downtown functions a prop (It was very quiet on a weekday morning as well as in the evening.), but I wonder about how you can make a place like this more actvive and vibrant.

The strung lights are a simple way to create an enclosed, festive space outside. It was quiet on this evening, but maybe earlier in the evening or on the weekends I'd see more activity. (Maybe only First Fridays?) 

Magnolia Park

Magnolia Park is one of several charming neighborhoods in Burbank, California. I like this picture for a couple reasons. First, someone is taking a picture that they likely uploaded to Instagram or Facebook so the other perspective of this shot is online somewhere. Second, rather than placing the tables, chairs, and umbrellas against the window of the cafe the business owner chose to place then in the very generous public right-of-way. This is less of an intrusion into where people walk, but it also brings the action further into the public realm. Notice also how the parked cars provide a protective buffer between the traffic on the street and the people sitting down. The tree well is very large to accommodate the root system of the enormous ficus tree which, although it grows quick;y and provides a dense tree canopy is probably not the best choice for a street tree.

Westwood Cafe

Besides being a great place for coffee, Bar Profeta offers a respite from the ten lane (!) Wilshire Boulevard two blocks south. It is surrounded on two sides by high rises, but it is part of Westwood Village which is generally one and two story commercial structures. Not all as charming as this collection of buildings.  This place has a lot going for it: Old building at a human scale, tree lined street, sidewalk tables, an inner courtyard that is a refuge from the street. (And good coffee.)

Better Uses For Alleys And Driveways

Look how simple it was to transform this space. Tables, chairs, umbrellas. A mostly unusable alley/driveway (Note the sign on the right.)  becomes an extension of the restaurant. This was later in the evening on a weekday. I'll have to go back during the weekend dinner hour to see if this "works." It sure seems like a great opportunity to bring a little life to an otherwise quiet block. (The other side of the street is usually active because of a bakery cafe with outdoor tables and chairs.) It could be an even more interesting space with lights or some other elements strung over the tables between the buildings.